Hana Pesut swears Switcheroo isnt a fashion statement.
The results of seeing stylish men and women swap clothes; the implications of people removing the garments that bind behind trees, rocks and garbage bins to cross-dress in public; the fact that, for the most part, mens clothes look phenominal on women, yet not so much the other way around thats all up to you to ponder.
A lot of people interpret it in a gender focused way, but, for me, when I started it, I just thought it was an interesting way to take a portrait.
Goofy, disturbing, hilarious; Pesut began collecting these portraits three and a half years ago. On a camping trip in Pemberton one night, two of her girlfriends thought it would be funny to switch outfits. From then on, Pesut says she would see pairs of people on the street and wonder what they would look like in each others clothes.
Im amazed how many people actually agree to do it, because when I first started it was just, No. No. No.
One of her favourites is of a local stylist and her father she in khaki-on-khaki, he in heels and a leopard print onesie.
The 30-year-old Vancouver photographer and DJ, who shot the entire series with film, has combed through her 200 couplings since, and compiled them into a book ($30) that extends from the beaches of Stanley Park to the cobblestones of Barcelona. When we spoke, 13 switcheroos had just been commissioned by Japanese magazine Ginza.
Pesut says, no matter where she shoots, its specific to each subject how they react to the role reversal.
With one couple, the wife was quite a bit smaller than the husband. When he went to put on her jeans, thusly, he hit the denim roadblock all women dread. But he went with it, and the switch photo was snapped pants half down and underwear out.
I send everyone the photos, and Ive only had one person say I cant use theirs.
Being comfortable in each others clothes, however, is not a portender of happily ever after. Pesut adds that some of the couples have since broken up, giving the nostalgic notion of your exs T-shirt entirely new meaning.
Switcheroo is for sale at Switcheroo.bigcartel.com. Enter to win a copy here.
